Korean Soup (Chicken)

Ginseng Chicken Soup (Samgyetang) 삼계탕

Samgyetang is a variety of guk Korean soup, which primarily consists of a whole young chicken and Korean ginseng. The dish's name literally translates as "'ginseng chicken soup" in English. Samgyetang is traditionally served in the summer for its supposed nutrients, which replaces those lost through excessive sweating and physical exertion during the hot summers in Korea.

To make samgyetang, a whole young chicken is stuffed with glutinous rice and boiled in a broth of Korean ginseng, dried seeded jujube fruits,garlic, and ginger. Depending on the recipe, other medicinal herbs such as Astragalus propinquus (hwanggi), wolfberry (gugija), Codonopsis pilosula (dangsam), and Angelica sinensis (danggwi) may also be added.

Like chicken soup, which is thought to help common sicknesses in the West, it is widely believed in Korea that samgyetang can both cure and prevent physical ailments. Proteins, minerals, and hormones from the whole chicken mixed with the beneficial properties of the ingredients combined in the dish makes it a revered culinary item in South Korea. Only whole uncut ingredients are used for the dish, as they are believed to preserve the maximum amount of nutrients.

Many Koreans enjoy it on three specific days in summer: "Chobok" (초복), "Jungbok" (중복), and "Malbok" (말복), which Koreans believe to be the hottest and most sultry of the year. Food with high nutrient content is eaten to regain the loss of stamina in the summer heat, and samgyetang is a favorite dish.

There are specialty restaurants in South Korea that serve nothing but samgyetang, having gained local popularity through their special recipe for the dish which are often kept secret. The dish is usually accompanied by side dishes and, in some restaurants, a small complimentary bottle of insamju (ginseng wine).

Ingredients:

Small chicken (Cornish hen)

1/4 cup of sweet rice

a dozen cloves of garlic

green onions

a few jujubes

1 or 2 small ginseng roots

Directions:

1. Wash and rinse your chicken in cold running water.
2. Soak 1/4 cup of sweet rice for 1 hour.
3. Stuff the chicken with the sweet rice, a ginseng root, a few jujubes, and 3-4 cloves of garlic. Place it in a pot.
4. Pour water into the pot and boil it over high heat for 20 minutes. When it starts boiling, skim off any foam and fat that rises to the surface Then pour in more water and boil it over medium heat for 40 minutes.
5. When it cooks properly, the chicken will be easily pulled apart by chopsticks.
6. Serve it with salt and pepper and kimchi or kaktugi.

Meok ja! 먹자!